Martha was a worker. She thrived on the well-deserved compliments she received on her well-kept home. (It was her house, the Scripture indicates.) Under her care, the household hummed along smoothly. Meals were attractive and ready on time, the shelves were neatly ordered, the floors were clean. Martha saw to it.
Mary was a learner. When Jesus was in the house, she put aside her duties—cleaning, cooking, weaving—and sat close enough to hear him speak, completely absorbed in every word He said. Nothing was more important than learning from Jesus. Mary knew that.
One day Jesus came with His entourage of disciples and other followers—how many we don’t know—just in time for dinner. Maybe the women had had time to prepare, perhaps not. At any rate, Martha busied herself with preparations to feed the crowd. Mary, on the other hand, crept into the dining area where the men would soon be served. She sat, probably somewhat hidden since she was uninvited, at Jesus' feet to hear what He was saying.
In the middle of preparing the meal, hot and tired from baking fresh bread, Martha suddenly realized that her sister had not moved from her place at Jesus' feet. The table was not even laid, and here sat Mary, hanging on Jesus every word, completely unaware of all the work yet to be done. Martha began to get irritated, quite naturally. Would she have preferred to sit and listen to Jesus too? Quite probably. But Martha couldn't take the traveling evangelist out for dinner, or call a nice restaurant that caters to bring in a meal. That was not an option; she was obligated to provide for Jesus and the others in her own home. But she was having to do it all alone!
Martha bustled into the room, interrupting the men. "Master," she said curtly to Jesus, "doesn't it bother you that my sister has abandoned the kitchen, expecting me to get everything ready for You? Tell her to lend me a hand!" What motivated Martha to go to Jesus and call attention to Mary's lack of cooperation? Why didn't she just whisper to Mary, "C'mon, sis, I need your help"? Or had she already summoned Mary and been ignored?
Jesus did not scold Martha and tell her she should stop serving, nor did He pat Mary's head and tell her to stay right there. He just said gently, “Dear, dear Martha, you are far too worried about all these details! You're upset about things—a meal and a room—that matter only for a little while. Just one thing is really essential, and Mary has discovered that. Spiritual communion. What she gains here can never, in this world or the next, be taken away from her.
"Here," He continued, "come sit for awhile with us. Dinner can wait."
So Martha sat beside her sister, her fingers working nervously in her unaccustomed idleness. After a time, she quit studying the frayed edge of the Master's robe—"I've got to mend that while He's here"—and looked up into His face. The same welcome smile He had for Mary was there for her too, the same loving warmth in His eyes. Martha relaxed in the peace of His presence.
And pretty soon, without a word, Mary got up and went into the kitchen.x
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My best friend and I are sisters too. Some of our early difficulties in understanding each other may be attributed to natural sibling rivalry or to our birth order in the family. However, our situation as we grew up was aggravated by family friends, well-meaning but not well-informed, who were prone to evaluate and make comparisons. “Mary is the quiet, serious one,” they would say. "Now Martha,” they continued, “is not like her sister. She is very busy with her career. (Sigh) The girls are so different.”
As we matured, though, the most amazing thing happened. Mary hit some rough places in life, and she didn't feel as spiritual as she once had. Martha met some friends that challenged her in new ways and her faith was energized. Mary became very busy, like a Martha. Martha began to value contemplation, like a Mary. After awhile Mary had a quiet, reflective aspect of herself, but an active, vigorous side as well. Martha too had a meditative and prayerful life, as well as a busy and creative one. Mary discovered that she was not all that different from Martha, and Martha began to see how like Mary she was. I am Mary and I am Martha. My sister is Mary and she is Martha. And yes, we can still tell each other apart! My blogging name—MaryMartha—was chosen to honor the two parts of me, and the two parts of my sister, and the two Bible women both of whom we admire.
MaryMartha
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Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com
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